One of the highlights for RCC in 2021 was Korey's growth from a veteran of RCC to semi-professional on Kelly Benefit Strategies. One of the springboard moments happened at beginning of the year when he got a brand new bike.

Here is the story of how he started in 2014 and how in February 2021 he was given a new bike, all told by those closest to the story and in their words:

Korey Robinson (now an 18-year-old senior in high school): One day I was over at my cousin Trevon and Deshaun's house and they said let's go to practice. And I said, “can I come with y'all.” And they let me.

Craig Dodson (Founder and former Executive Director of Richmond Cycling Corps): It was his 4th-grade summer, so going into 5th grade. He was just this really little kid.

Korey: And that's when I met Craig and that's when they were building the bike park.

Moving Dirt

Craig: I was working on the bike park and he would just come and help out.

*Armstrong Bike Park built in 2014 as the first inner-city mountain bike park in the United States. Built and operated by Richmond Cycling Corps.*

Korey: I was nine then. I couldn't get on the team cause I was nine. So I was helping out at the bike park.

Craig: For his first few months he didn’t ride bikes. He just worked at the bike park with me. It wasn’t sitting around. He was legitimately moving dirt and working. I had him listed as "Korey the helper" in my phone for years.

Matt Kuhn (Executive Director of RCC): Korey has been around since 2014. And he has been fantastic the entire time.

Craig: He would stand out in the street. White tank top and red shorts and slides and just wait for me in the road. And when he would see the bread truck in the road he would stand up and come ask to help. It was more about putting a shovel in the dirt and building something that he didn't understand.

Matt: He just wanted to drive that tractor.

Craig: He was all about driving that tractor.

Racing and Jumping

Korey: They let me get on when I was 10.

Craig: It wasn’t until the next year until we put him on the bike.

*Here is Korey (far left) in 2015 on the MLK team middle school team. While still only a 5th grader!*

Craig: We had to lie and say he was at MLK (a middle school) even when was in 5th grade.

Matt: Cycling has always been present for him. And I think always been an option since he is naturally gifted. His dad was pushing for basketball or football for the first few years. But Korey was way more interested in cycling.

Korey: I don't know, its different. I always liked bikes when I was growing up though. But I never thought about racing them until I met Craig and them. Then, I got addicted to it and am still addicted to it.

Craig: Could see his talent right away and see he was super athletic. Korey figured out how to throw the bike around. Got it quick.

Matt: From day one he was interested in jumping. He liked to jump and he was good at it.

Korey: I was the person that didn't care. Just jumping seat all the way up and everything.

Matt: When he was Ashari's age he was clearing jumps at the bike park. (Ashari is currently our youngest rider, she is in 5th grade).

*RCC in 2015. Korey on the far right next to then Program Coordinator Matt Kuhn*

Matt: He had been on three previous bikes. He started on a Kona Unit, one of those rigid single speeds.

Korey: Single speed Unit. I was 10.

Matt: And then one of those blue bikes, a Kona Kahuna Deluxe.

Korey: I don't know the name of it but the one Knowledge is on. I think I went a little too hard on it and I think I broke the frame or something like that. Kona Hardtail.

A New Bike

Matt: We had never bought one of the youth a bike before. And you know I am not sure if it was honestly the right decision. Because I didn't want to set that precedent. We can’t be buying expensive race bikes for everyone in the program, you know? But his commitment to cycling and his style of riding meant our current equipment just couldn’t keep up.

Matt: It was something we (Korey and I) had always talked about because he does like jumping and he has always wanted a full suspension.

Craig: I’m old school. You didn’t learn on anything with suspension. You have to learn how to handle and ride the bike.

Matt: Craig and I differ on this, because Craig would ride Bryce on his cross bike. He's an asshole. He is very very very good at riding bikes. He has always said you don't need a full suspension to have fun, and that’s true, you don't. But it’s way more fun to have suspension.

Craig: Equipment teaches you to be a softer rider.

Matt: I always thought it would improve Korey's riding and make him enjoy it more and it did.

Partnerships

Matt: It was the middle of COVID and we hadn't been riding a ton. And the kind of riding we were doing was not really long-distance riding. It was more ‘go jump your bike and do have fun’ instead of serious training

Korey: When we were in the East Side trails at the jump spot with me, Matt, and his friend Ben. Ben was like "when are you going to get Korey a full suspension?"

Matt: We didn't really have many expenses at the time. We didn't even have payroll because I was on unemployment. And we got a crazy deal through Outpost and Kona.

Sam Cookson (Shop Manager at Outpost Richmond): Korey had been in here a bunch with Matt just when everyone would stop in. I already knew him relatively well through that. He would just make fun of me for wearing Jordan's.

Korey: Matt just said we were going to Outpost, he didn't even tell me why or anything. He just said you wanna go to Outpost and I said sure.

Matt: I worked with Braden and Sam at Outpost to get a deal and try to surprise him with it.

Sam: Matt and I had talked about the bike probably a couple of weeks before that. Because there were two left at Kona. So it was like if you guys want this we have to get this now.

Matt: Korey and I had talked about it because I wanted him to have input. So we went to Outpost to talk about it, and find out what he wanted.

Korey: Sam took me to a back room and was like we found a selection of bikes for you and now we have to see what kind of bike you want. And I was like "What? What do you mean?"

Wait, What?

Korey: They were asking me if I wanted this bike for jumps or completely a race bike or both. And so the one I got now I can do completely both. I wanted an XC race bike but also a full suspension so I can do jumps.

Sam: Korey likes Kona's a lot. There was only one Kona that was actually available.

Matt: It was right when the industry was starting to lose all their bikes. So it became an issue. It helped us pull the trigger. We didn’t have a lot of time to choose a brand.

Sam: We’re picking from a couple of others.

Korey: I think it was a Kona, a Specialized, and a Marin.

Korey: That price range was crazy. It was a lot of money that went into that bike. I guess Matt and them got it at a good price. I don't know how much they got it for but they got it at a cheaper price.

Sam: It was on Kona’s dealer clearance.

Korey: I was telling Matt that I really don't think I deserve this bike. I really don't think I do. And that's when they put some more upgrades on my bike. They changed my tires, that was another $200 on the bike. And I was like okay. Again, I said, I don't deserve those tires. But he was like "ya you do, you deserve it." That's when I knew, so I shut up, and took it.

You Deserve It

Matt: And then I went back another time to talk to Sam and Braden more about it. Realistically what it would look like and how it would work. We narrowed it down to three options and brought him in again and said which one of these three. And he got the one he wanted.

Korey: Full carbon Kona bike. It was different. Had the inverted fork - RS1 fork. So, I was like eh why not, that's why I got it.

Sam: Took maybe two or three weeks from the point of ordering it to getting it assembled.

Korey: They had to do some things at Outpost and then Sam called Matt and said come pick it up.

Sam: It was a super sick build. It was rad. I got to put it all together. It was a really cool build from my standpoint because it was top-of-the-line everything.

Sam: Matt and Korey came to pick it up, which was cool. So I got to see Korey bounce around on it. He was in Crocs, so he wasn't doing anything too crazy.

Korey: We got to Outpost and I was in shock, been in love with it ever since.

Sam: He didn't ask a lot of questions. We did a proper suspension setup and whatnot, and he was amped. As amped as Korey gets. He doesn't get as visually excited for things. He is pretty calm and collected.

*Korey getting his bike on February 8, 2021*

Korey: My favorite part about my bike is the dropper. The dropper post is amazing. I can ride way more aggressively downhill. Jump better. The feel of the bike is just.... I don't have to tire out my arms anymore.

Matt: I think him seeing how far [cycling] took Nut (Demonte Cosby, now cycling at Warren Wilson College) has helped a lot. And I think Kelly (Kelly Benefit Strategies) has helped a lot as well and that has really solidified his future with cycling.

Korey: I do want to get my category up. I want to get up to Cat 2 or Cat 3. I want to get there before 2023.

Matt: Nut changed how people interact with the bikes. And Korey has taken that to another level.

Craig: Kids like Korey are helping author a new future.